John  A.  Gray,  Printer  and  Stereotyv^r.  cor.  Frtukfnrt  and  Jacob  Streets,  N.  Y. 


iiHe  £trip  of  the  faints 


A S E R M O N 

DELIVERED  BEFORE  TIIE 

FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 

OF 


NEW-YORK  AND  BROOKLYN, 


OjNT  SABBATH  EVENINGS,  NOVE.MHEE  11  and.  18. 


BY  REY.  WALTER  CLARKE,  D.D., 

Pastor  of  the  Mercer  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  New-York. 


WITH  REPORTS  OF  CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY  AND  TREASURER. 


|)  n b I i s l;r  e b b g tlje  jsocietn. 


NEW-YORK: 

ALMON  HER  WIN,  BIBLE  HOUSE,  ASTOR  PLACE. 


1860. 


S E KMON. 


Daniel  7 : 27.  • 

“ And  the  kingdom,  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the 
whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High.’’ 

This  is  part  of  Daniel’s  prediction  concerning  the 
order  of  empire  in  tlie  Christian  ages.  In  a previous 
vision,  the  prophet  had  seen  the  world,  with  all  its 
races,  interests,  institutions,  and  destinies  made  over  to 
Christ,  the  universal  King.  “ I saw  in  the  night 
visions,  and,  behold,  one  like  the  Son  of  man,  came  with 
the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to  the  Ancient  of 
days,  and  they  brought  him  near  before  him.  And 
there  was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a king- 
dom, that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages,  should 
serve  him  : his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion, 
which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which 
shall  not  be  destroyed.” 

But,  as  this  great  empire,  and  every  part  of  it,  was 
then  in  alien  hands,  Daniel  was  permitted  to  complete 
the  vision,  and,  by  a second  revelation,  beheld  the  his- 
toric transfer  of  races,  and  governments,  and  trades,  and 
destinies,  to  their  appointed  owner — the  King  of  kings 
and  Lord  of  lords.  These  prophetic  paragraphs,  there- 
fore, are  a carefully  prepared  chart,  revealing  the  course 


4 


of  empire,  till  it  consummates  aud  ends  in  the  universal 
reign  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Power,  and  greatness,  and  government  shall  descend, 
says  the  prophet,  through  successive  administrations 
and  intermediate  thrones — the  Assyrian,  the  Roman, 
the  Papal,  to  the  last  era — and  the  closing  stage,  when 
the  saints  of  the  Most  High  God  shall  take  the  king- 
dom and  superintend  it  in  the  name  of  their  Lord. 

And  this  is  the  topic  upon  which  I propose  to  discourse 
this  evening:  the  empire  of  the  world  falling  at  length 
into  the  hands  of  the  saints. 

I shall  be  obliged  to  ask  attention,  however,  here  on 
the  threshold,  to  several  preliminary  remarks,  going  to 
fix  the  exact  meaning  of  the  truth,  that  the  saints  shall 
one  day  possess  and  govern  the  world.  Let  me  say 
then : 

1.  That  the  doctrine  of  our  text  does  not  require  us 
to  believe  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  at  some  future 
time,  to  return  in  person  to  oijr  world,  and  set  up  a 
visible  and  theocratic  empire  upon  all  these  continents. 
If  the  Redeemer  had  no  other  way  of  administering  his 
earthly  kingdom,  than  by  a personal  and  visible  reign, 
the  inference  would  be,  not  that  he  should  come  back, 
at  some  fixed  and  far  off  period,  and  assume  the  empire, 
but  that  he  should  have  never  departed.  Now  that  he 
has  departed,  and  has  supervised  and  extended  his 
kingdom  for  nineteen  centuries,  without  the  aid  of  any 
local  palace,  or  the  need  of  any  visible  government,  it 
is  too  late  for  us  to  imagine  that  he  can  not  go  forward 
as  he  has  commenced,  and  reign  in  the  future  as  he  has 
in  the  past — the  King  invisible,  eternal,  and  divine. 
'Hie  kingdom  of  which  we  are  to  discourse  this  even- 
ing, is  a spiritual  kingdom  therefore;  is  an  empire  that 
asks  and  needs  no  visible  manifestation  of  its  Lord,  no 


5 


earthly  metropolis,  or  sceptre,  or  throne.  And  though 
the  reign  of  the  saints  is  to  be  a wide-spread  and  uni- 
versal rule,  yet,  I shall  need  to  say : 

2.  That  the  Scriptures  do  not  require  us  to  teach,  or 
to  believe,  this  doctrine  even,  in  any  absolute,  extreme, 
and  unexceptionable  sense.  We  should  look  in  vain,  I 
suppose,  for  any  text  which,  properly  interpreted,  assures 
us  that  at  some  time  before  tin?  final  coming  of  Christ 
his  followers  will  literally  hold  all  the  offices,  and  own 
all  the  property,  and  ply  all  the  trades,  and  make  all 
the  laws,  and  carry  on  all  the  affairs  of  the  world,  reduc- 
ing the  wicked  to  utter  penury  and  subjection.  I do 
not  so  understand  the  language  of  prophecy ; or  so 
imagine  when  I anticipate  the  future.  The  meaning  of 
the  Scriptures,  if  I do  not  altogether  mistake  their 
sense,  is,  that  the  saints  as  persons,  and  their  great 
Christian  maxims  as  principles,  shall  ultimately  win 
such  an  ascendency  over  all  nations,  interests,  institu- 
tions, and  affairs,  that  this  whole  world  shall  become  an 
orderly  aud  well-governed  Christian  empire.  If  there 
shall  be  impenitent  men,  as  there  may  be,  they  shall 
nevertheless,  either  of  their  own  will,  or  by  the  con- 
straint of  others,  submit  to  Christian  usages,  and  acqui- 
esce in  just  and  salutary  laws.  If  there  shall  be  trades, 
and  offices,  and  property,  that  are  not  in  Christian 
hands,  as  there  may  be,  they  who  hold  them  shall  yet 
be  so  under  the  power  of  dominant  Christian  influences, 
that  they  shall  obey  as  willing  servants,  though  they  do 
not  cooperate  as  loving  sons.  This,  as  I conceive,  is  thf 
doctrine  of  those  scriptures  which  tell  us  that  the  meek 
shall  inherit  the  earth,  and  the  kingdom  and  dominion, 
and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the 
Most  High. 

O 


G 


But  it  is  obvious,  considering  the  present  state  of  the 
world,  in  regard  to  its  interests,  possessions,  and  rights, 
that  sucli  an  acquisition  and  such  control,  on  the  part  of 
the  saints,  must  be  the  result  of  an  august  assault,  and  the 
achievement  of  a successful  aggression.  The  people  of 
God  must  make  actual  conquest  of  all  these  estates,  and 
empires,  and  interests,  if  they  are  to  obtain  the  govern- 
ment, and  reigu  in  the  liame  of  their  Master.  We  shall 
need  to  inquire,  then,  and  with  a discriminating  and 
cautious  care, 

3.  As  to  the  way  in  which  this  great  conquest  is  to 
be  achieved. 

Are  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  after  a series  of 
moral  victories,  wrought  with  peaceful  weapons,  and  by 
the  aid  of  the  all  conquering  Spirit  of  God,  to  change 
their  tactics  and  go  forth,  in  coming  times,  with  their 
armies  to  dislodge  the  wicked,  and  settle  as  victors  on 
all  the  continents?  The  Scriptures  every  where  discour- 
age such  conclusions.  They  that  take  the  sword  shall 
perish  by  the  sword.  The  weapons  of  our  warfare  are 
mighty,  but  are  not  carnal ; are  mighty  because  they 
are  not  carnal.  Moreover,  we  have  read  history  to 
little  purpose  if  we  have  not  seen  that  the  only  revolu- 
tions which  are  permanent  and  deep,  are  those  which 
take  place  underneath  the  surface — penetrating  and 
reconstructing  a nation’s  thoughts.  Accordingly,  there 
are  in  every  community  natural  processes  and  lawful 
methods  by  which  to  effect,  first,  a moral,  and  after  it  a 
civil  revolution.  Who  has  not  observed  that  there  are 
changes  going  forward  continually,  in  every  part  of  the 
social  organism,  by  which  estates,  and  privileges,  and 
titles,  and  influence,  and  power,  and  supremacy,  pass 
from  one  possessor  to  another,  from  one  people  to 
another  ? 


It  is  a great  law  of  nature,  a law  operating  among 
all  the  orders  of  the  animate  creation,  that  the  superior 
race  shall  win  ultimate  ascendency  over  the  inferior. 
Put  two  children,  two  men,  two  tribes  together,  and  let 
them  associate,  and  interact,  and  adjust  their  relative 
forces  and  positions,  and  no  matter  what  titles,  or  what 
opportunities  you  bequeath  to  the  inferior,  or  what 
stigmas  and  restraints  you  cast  upon  the  stronger,  as 
time  advances,  the  Saxon  will  conquer  the  Celt — the 
weaker  will  submit  to  the  mightier.  When  a clerk,  or 
apprentice,  or  servant,  chances,  as  sometimes  happens, 
to  be  superior  to  his  master — superior,  I mean,  not  in 
any  brute  and  physical,  but  only  in  a moral  and  manly 
sense — when  the  subordinate  has  more  intelligence,  and 
more  capacity,  and  more  perseverance,  and  more  self- 
control,  and  more  real  dignity  than  his  master — how 
often  have  we  seen  the  two  change  places  at  length — 
and  house,  and  fortune,  and  equipage,  and  business,  and 
titles,  and  reputation,  all  pass  over  from  the  imbecile 
lord  who  encumbered  and  forsook,  to  the  more  worthy 
servant  who  deserved  and  earned  them  ? No  assault 
was  made  upon  the  original  owner — no  single  right  of 
his  was  infringed  or  invaded — but  by  a fixed  law  of 
Providence,  intelligence  coping  with  ignorance,  and 
industry  contending  wdth  idleness,  and  economy  vying 
with  excess,  and  temperance  contesting  with  indulg- 
ence, and  strength  competing  with  weakness,  the  impe- 
rial powers  overcame  the  menial,  and  he  who  touched 
the  goal  took  the  prize.  Here,  now,  is  a great,  silent, 
universal  law  of  nature,  which  is  in  secret  league  with 
all  the  saints  on  all  the  continents ; and  which  has  but 
to  continue,  and  to  operate,  and  it  will  in  time  transfer 
the  empire  of  the  wrorld  to  them.  The  people  of  God 
have  no  need  to  assail  the  nations  ; they  have  no  use 


8 


for  arms,  and  no  license  for  invasion.  They  have  only 
to  keep  their  Christian  virtues,  and  exercise  them,  and 
by  this  simple  process  they  shall  at  length  acquire  a 
kingdom,  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  king- 
dom under  the  whole  heaven. 

But  there  is  another  question  touching  the  manner  in 
which  the  saints  are  to  get  possession. of  this  world, 
which  we  shall  need  to  consider  before  we  can  fully 
comprehend  the  meaning  of  Scripture.  The  earth  is 
covered  with  a vast  framework  of  social  institutions, 
whose  present  and  special  office  it  is  to  guard,  and 
administer,  and  conserve  the  temporal  interests  of  na- 
tions. Laws,  courts,  governments,  arts,  customs,  trades, 
these  are  not  so  much  instruments  of  religion,  as  organs 
of  society.  Here  they  are,  a vast  system  of  social  insti- 
tutions, the  fabric  of  ages,  the  framework  of  history. 
Will  the  saints  of  the  Most  High,  as  they  advance  and 
take  possession  of  the  world,  overturn  this  great  edifice 
of  social  order?  Will  they  remove  existing  govern- 
ments, offices,  orders,  and  customs  ? And  will  they  set 
up  in  their  place  the  one  great  institution,  the  Church, 
making  all  offices  spiritual  ? Or  will  they  invent  and 
establish  a new  social  constitution,  suited  to  the  times 
in  which  they  live?  The  Papist  answers:  The  Church 
is  the  one  sufficient  organization  for  the  conduct  and 
government  of  all  sublunary  affairs.  Plant  the  Church, 
that  is,  the  Romish  Church,  in  any  land,  and  there  is  no 
more  need  of  senates,  or  parliaments,  or  courts,  or  kings, 
or  presidents.  With  the  Pope  for  sovereign,  and  his 
cardinals  for  ministers  of  state  ; with  priestly  nuncios 
forjudges,  and  infuriate  monks  for  executioners,  society 
may  dispense  with  all  other  governments,  and  intrust 
the  affairs  of  time,  as  the  destinies  of  the  other  state,  to 
the  care  of  the  one  infallible  Church.  But  the  Scrip- 


9 


tures  hold  no  such  language.  According  to  the  pattern 
which  they  present,  society,  as  she  has  many  interests, 
must  equip  herself  also  with  many  executive  institutions 
aud  organs.  And,  since  civil  order  is  as  indispensable 
to  social  well-being,  as  spiritual  thrift,  the  State  is  an 
institution  as  truly  divine  as  is  the  Church. 

The  one  is  Christ’s  authoritative  organization,  for 
the  control  and  government  of  things  spiritual.  The 
other  is  his  twin  organization,  for  the  management  and 
direction  of  things  temporal.  And  the  moment  either 
of  these  bodies  invades  the  other’s  territory  and  under- 
takes to  regulate  affairs  in  which  it  has  no  jurisdiction ; 
the  moment  a Hildebrand  ventures  to  dictate  to  states, 
or  a Henry  aspires  to  be  Head  of  the  Church,  that 
moment  the  world  is  out  of  joint,  and  disorder  and  de- 
basement must  certainly  ensue.  If  the  saints  are  to 
govern  the  world,  therefore,  we  may  be  sure,  that  they 
will  use  the  Church  for  church  purposes,  and  remit  all 
state  matters  to  the  charge  of  states. 

They  -will  not  repeat  the  mistakes,  or  renew  the  cru- 
elties of  former  times.  Instructed  by  history,  they  will 
neither  destroy  kings,  nor  drive  forth  magistrates,  nor 
dissolve  constitutions,  nor  disrupt  laws,  nor  make  war 
upon  science,  nor  do  any  thing  else  to  reduce  society  to 
chaos.  No  ! the  saints  are  commissioned  to  improve 
the  world,  not  to  damage  it ; to  build  up  good  things, 
not  to  demolish  them  ; to  regenerate  the  nations,  not  to 
destroy  them.  And  they  are  to  do  all  this  as  the 
leaven  does  its  transforming  and  resistless  work ; by  the 
secret'  infusion  into  all  parts  of  the  social  organism, 
of  the  spirit  of  their  Master,  the  spirit  of  equity  and 
truth,  and  love.  Let  me  remark,  in  reference  to  this 
conquest  of  the  nations  for  Christ, 

4.  That  according  to  all  Scriptural  intimations,  it  will 


10 


be  a very  gradual  conquest.  We  mistake  when  we  ima- 
gine that  the  great  revolutions  which  the  Bible  predicts, 
or  any  other  great  revolutions,  are  to  be  accomplished 
suddenly:  so  that  either  prophecy  or  history  can  deter- 
mine the  exact  day  on  which  they  occur.  The  prophets 
of  the  Bible  foretell  certain  anticipated  events,  and  de- 
clare the  order  in  which  they -are  appointed  to  arrive. 
But  the  intervals  which  separate  these  events,  they  very 
seldom  measure  or  mention.  Looking  into  the  future, 
through  these  prophetic  symbols  therefore,  is  like  look- 
ing over  the  tops  of  the  mountains  to  the  distant  sky. 
As  we  gaze  we  behold  one  summit  behind  another,  and 
behind  the  farthest  the  blue  heavens.  But  how  far  it  may 
be  from  the  first  peak  to  the  second,  and  how  far  from  the 
last  to  the  firmament  which  is  beyond,  we  can  not  deter- 
mine or  tell.  If  we  were  to  trust  to  impressions  merely, 
we  should  say,  the  farthest  mountain-top  touches  the 
curtains  of  the  west ; and  whoever  stands  there  can 
reach  with  his  right  hand  into  the  heavens.  So  when 
we  read  the  twenty-fourth  of  -Matthew,  there  is  the 
predicted  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  like  a burning 
mountain,  blazing  in  the  foreground,  and  seemingly 
just  beyond  it,  so  near  that  there  is  no  appreciable 
interval,  the  white  cloud,  and  the  Son  of  Man  coming 
to  judge  the  nations  ! Prophecy  foretells  events  and 
their  order;  but  leaves  out  the  intervals.  And  it  is  in 
these  intervals,  that  the  events  are  born.  It  Daniel’s 
fourth  beast,  that  had  iron  teeth,  and  devoured,  and 
brake  in  pieces,  was,  as  seems  probable,  a symbol  of  the 
Roman  State  ; and  if  the  ten  horses  which  sprang1  from 
this  terrible  image,  represented,  as  there  is  good  reason 
to  believe,  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which  Europe  sepa- 
rated at  the  dissolution  of  the  great  empire ; and  if  the 
little  horn  that  appeared  among  these,  in  which  there 


11 


were  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a man,  and  a mouth  speaking 
great  things,  which  made  war  with  the  saints,  and  pre- 
vailed against  them,  typified,  as  the  best  commentators 
suppose,  the  Papal  power,  then  the  next  great  event  after 
the  destruction  of  the  Papacy,  is  to  be  the  transfer  of 
the  world  into  the  hands  of  the  saints.  But  how  long 
it  shall  be  before  the  Papacy  is  destroyed,  and  how 
long  after  that  it  shall  take  the  saints  to  get  possession 
of  the  nations,  are  questions  which  Revelation  no  where 
answers.  That  Antichrist  is  to  be  brought  down ; that 
Babylon  shall  sooner  or  later  fall ; that  for  this  expected 
overthrow  all  historic  movements  are  making  ready, 
and  all  the  nations  of  the  world  waiting;  that  the  crash 
of  the  falling  hierarchy  shall  not  only  shake  the  earth, 
but  be  heard  even  in  heaven ; and  that  at  the  sound 
thereof,  the  very  angels  shall  exult,  crying,  Babylon, 
that  great  city,  which  made  the  nations  drink  of  her 
wrath,  is  fallen — is  fallen  ; and  that  then  the  angel  hav- 
ing the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  shall  fly  swiftly 
tluongh  the  midst  of  heaven,  to  every  nation  and  kin- 
dred and  tongue  and  people,  saying : Fear  God,  and 
give  glory  to  him ; so  much  we  may  firmly  and  fully 
believe.  That  is,  we  may  look  forward  with  entire  con- 
fidence, and  say : One  more  change — and  then  the  time 
will  come  for  the  saints  to  take  possession  of  the  world  ! 
We  must  say,  of  this  predicted  conquest  and  reign  of 
the  saints, 

5.  That  it  is  to  be,  and  in  a twofold  sense,  complete 
and  universal. 

It  will  embrace  all  territory ; covering  the  continents, 
going  forth  to  the  islands,  possessing  the  seas.  It  will 
include  all  races,  it  will  embrace  all  arts,  all  sciences, 
all  trades,  all  interests,  all  governments,  all  usages,  all 
compacts,  all  relations.  Taking  possession  of  a country, 


12 


a district,  a race,  on  heathen  or  on  Christian  ground, 
merely  taking  possession  is  only  the  commencement  of 
the  great  work  which  the  saints  have  in  hand.  Having 
got  possession  of  the  territory,  they  are  then  to  revolu- 
tionize and  reconstruct,  revolutionize  and  reconstruct 
till  they  shall  build  up  upon  the  new  site  a Christian 
state,  to  be  the  habitation  of  righteousness,  the  city 
of  the  Lord,  the  new  earth.  And  this  great  after-work 
of  reconstruction  is  even  of  more  consequence  than 
that  of  simple  conquest.  Better  that  all  the  armies  of 
invasion  be  recalled  from  their  advance-posts,  and  the 
heathen  world  left  where  it  is,  in  the  dominion  of  Satan 
and  the  empire  of  darkness,  than  that  in  these  Christian 
lands,  and  on  this  recovered  territory,  the  work  of  finish- 
ing the  kingdom  whose  foundations  are  only  now  laid, 
should  falter  or  fail  or  delay.  But  neither  of  these 
great  works  must  falter,  and  neither  must  fail  aud 
neither  stand  idle.  The  pioneers  of  the  Church,  all  her 
advance  - guards  and  legions  on  the  confines  of  the 
heathen  world,  must  assail  the  unoccupied  territory, 
adding  new  accessions  continually  to  the  domain  of  the 
saints.  Meantime  they  who  dwell  on  the  captured  con- 
tinents, are  to  build  the  kingdom  for  which  alone  the 
territory  was  conquered. 

With  this  understanding  of  what  the  Scriptures  mean 
by  the  dominion  of  the  saints,  let  us  for  a little  time 
attend  now  to  the  evidence  by  which  the  doctrine  in 
hand  is  supported  and  enforced. 

That  the  people  of  God  will  one  day  possess  aud  gov- 
ern the  world,  might  be  conclusively  argued, 

1.  From  the  known  nature  of  their  religion. 

Take  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament,  and  give  it 
to  any  race  or  people  under  heaven,  and  let  it  remain 
among  them  and  do  its  work  in  them,  and  that  people 


13 


thus  endowed,  will  ultimately  possess  and  govern  the 
world.  They  may  have  no  property  at  first,  and  no 
rank,  and  no  office,  and  no  power.  The  world  may  he 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  other  races;  hut  the  people 
who  start  in  their  career,  having  in  their  possession  the 
religion  of  Christ,  will  as  certainly  conquer,  and  own  the 
world  at  last,  as  they  shall  remain  in  it.  The  proof  of 
this  proposition  is  found  in  the  very  nature  of  the 
Christian  religion.  There  are  certain  qualities  of  mind 
and  character  whose  legitimate  office  and  privilege  it  is 
to  possess  the  world.  The  people  who  have  and  use 
these  qualities  will,  hy  their  aid,  reach  and  hold  the 
world.  There  are  other  habits  and  traits,  whose  inevi- 
table destiny  and  doom  are  to  lose  the  world.  The 
people  who  harbor  these  qualities,  must  let  go  the 
world  and  become  bankrupt  and  dependent.  Take  the 
case  of  property  for  an  instance.  We  all  know  that 
industry,  economy,  moderation,  and  health  amass  ; while 
idleness,  and  intemperance,  and  luxury,  and  prodigality, 
and  disease  waste  it.  Who,  then,  are  the  ultimate  heirs 
of  the  world’s  wealth  ? Why,  they  who  have  and  who 
shall  continue  to  have  the  qualities  which  acquire  and 
preserve  wealth.  And  who  are  these  ? Not  the  pagans 
of  far  off  lands — for  the  life  of  the  heathen  is  ever  a life 
of  idleness,  and  unthrift,  and  loss.  Not  the  wicked  or 
the  worldly,  in  Christian  lands — for  though  a single 
generation  of  these  may  practice  the  industries,  and 
observe  the  moderation,  which  insure  an  estate,  they 
can  never  perpetuate  these  property-preserving  habits. 
Accordingly,  if  you  select  any  country,  or  fix  upon  any 
family  in  Christendom,  and  inquire  into  the  history  of 
their  fortunes  for  a few  generations,  you  shall  see  that 
while  worldlings  can  accumulate  they  can  not  preserve. 
The  impenitent  father  may  be  industrious,  and  economi- 


14 


cal,  and  wise ; his  impenitent  son  may  follow  his  exam- 
ple, and  retain,  and  even  augment,  his  great  patrimony. 
But,  by  and  by,  abundance  will  begin  to  breed  excess, 
and  the  lusts  of  later  generations  will  consume  what  the 
labors  of  those  who  went  before  accumulated.  Thus  it 
is,  that  all  other  orders  and  races  of  men  are  either  not 
acquiring,  or  acquiring  only  to  lose  again,  this  great 
world-treasure — property.  But  the  religion  of  the  New 
Testament  not  only  implants  the  qualities  which  acquire 
and  retain  wealth,  it  preserves  them.  Just  so  long  as  that 
religion  remains  with  a people,  therefore,  its  fruits  must 
remain.  Here,  then,  are  the  people  into  whose  hands 
the  wealth  of  the  world  will  one  day  come.  Their 
religion,  as  it  makes  them  sons  of  God,  makes  them  also 
heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Jesus  Christ- 
The  same  is  to  be  said  of  rank,  and  influence,  and 
authority.  There  are  certain  traits  of  mind  and  charac- 
ter which  are  God  Almighty’s  special  seal  of  nobility. 
They  who  bear  these  insignia  ave  in  fact,  and  sooner  or 
later  they  will  be  seen  to  be,  the  lords  and  princes  of 
the  world.  Integrity,  intelligence,  greatness  of  mind 
and  heart,  the  people  to  whom  God  gives  these  traits, 
and  among  whom  he  perpetuates  them,  may  be  obscure 
and  unknown  for  a time  ; but  they  shall  one  day  rise 
above  .their  fellows,  as  the  stars  outshine  the  insects,  as 
the  oaks  overshadow  the  brambles ! But  where  are 
the  people  who  have,  and  retain,  and  will  continue  to 
have  and  retain,  to  the  end  of  time,  these  superemiuent 
and  princely  qualities  ? We  all  know.  They  are  the 
saints  of  the  most  high  God.  Other  men  have  noble 
traits,  and  show  themselves  worthy  of  honor,  and  place, 
and  power.  But,  outside  the  Christian  Church,  there 
is  not  a tribe,  or  clan,  or  family,  in  all  the  world,  which 
can  preserve  and  transmit  their  nobleness,  so  as  to  secure 


15 


to  after-generations  the  power  or  the  place  of  the 
fathers.  But  the  religion  of  the  saints  is  an  eternal 
spring  of  greatness  and  virtue  ; and  they  who  retain 
that  religion,  shall  finally  possess  not  the  property  of 
the  world  alone,  but  its  posts  of  power,  and  its  places  of 
authority.  Assaith  our  text : the  kingdom,  and  domin- 
ion, and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole 
heaven,  shall  be  given  unto  the  people  of  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High. 

The  same  conclusion  might  be  argued, 

2.  From  the  actual  history  of  the  Church,  since  it  has 
had  a place  among  the  nations. 

When  the  Saviour  left  the  world,  his  disciples,  you 
remember,  were  utterly  indigent,  and  helpless,  and 
weak.  Formerly,  under  the  reign  of  Solomon  for  exam- 
ple, the  saints  of  God  had  power,  and  wealth,  and 
greatness.  But  might,  and  property,  and  fame,  and 
influence  had  departed  with  their  departing  virtues; 
and  it  seemed  that  the  followers  of  Messiah  had  sur- 
rendered the  world  to  receive  and  enjoy  their  Lord 
alone.  The  ungodly  had  seized  the  wealth,  had  usurped 
the  governments,  were  plying  the  trades,  were  leading 
the  armies,  were  instructing  the  schools,  were  directing 
the  opinions,  were  determining  the  destinies  of  all  the 
nations.  Impoverished  and  alone,  the  disciples  of  Christ 
began  their  work  ; and  they  and  their  successors  have 
carried  it  forward  through  the  centuries  to  the  present 
time.  Look  forth,  then,  at  this  moment,  and  observe 
for  example,  How  much  of  the  world’s  wealth  has 
come  into  the  hands  of  God’s  saints  during  these  last , 
eighteen  centuries  ? How  much  of  the  world’s  wealth, 
and  her  sources  of  wealth,  do  the  saints  possess  to-day  ? 
Draw  them  aside  out  of  all  the  nations ; let  the  people 
of  God  take  their  trades  and  their  treasures  and  go 


16 


forth,  as  of  old  the  Israelites  went  forth  from  Egypt,  to 
some  far  off  land  of  promise.  From  Europe,  from  the 
East,  from  Britain,  from  America,  from  the  islands  of 
the  seas,  let  all  Christians  withdraw,  bearing  with  them 
their  accumulated  and  proper  wealth.  And  is  there  a 
nation  under  heaven  that  could  make  out  such  an 
inventory,  and  show  such  an  estate  as  the  Church  pos- 
sesses to-day  ? Nay,  is  there  a nation  in  the  whole  cir- 
cle of  Christendom  that  would  not  be  bankrupt  in  a 
twelvemonth  after  such  an  exodus  of  her  saints,  and 
their  treasures  ? 

Or  take  any  other  element  of  social  power.  Take 
intelligence,  for  instance  ; the  mastery  of  all  arts,  the 
knowledge  of  all  sciences,  the  ability  to  influence  and 
affect  the  world,  and  what  au  accumulation  of  all  forms 
of  enduring  and  practical  wisdom  have  the  saints  of 
these  bygone  centuries  made ! Have  the  nations  any 
single  science,  trade,  invention,  art,  philosophy  of  which 
the  saints  are  now  ignorant  ? 'Nay,  do  not  the  nations 
derive  their  trades,  and  arts,  and  knowledges  almost 
exclusively  from  the  people  of  God  ? Who  are  the 
pioneers  in  all  the  sciences  ? Who  lead  the  way  in  all 
the  trades?  Who  explore  the  unknown  seas?  Who 
discover  the  unknown  continents  ? Who  pilot  the  ways 
of  traffic?  Who  are  the  men  that  are  thus  the  lights 
of  the  ages?  Why,  were  one  to  go  back  over  these 
eighteen  centuries,  and  extinguish  every  thought,  and 
erase  every  revelation,  and  annihilate  every  book,  and 
remove  all  that  the  saints  of  God  have  contributed  to 
illumine,  and  elevate,  and  gladden  the  nations  ; were  he 
to  go  farther,  and  take  away  every  Christian  soul,  our 
Western  world  would  become  as  dark  as  is  the  Eastern  ; 
and  there  would  be  as  little  intelligence,  or  as  little 
thrift  here  anion"  the  nations  that  have  come  towards 

o 


17 


the  setting  sun,  as  among  those  who  sit  in  the  shadow 
of  death,  in  India,  and  China,  and  Japan.  For  eighteen 
centuries,  the  saints  have  been  gradually  getting  posses- 
sion of  the  world,  of  its  intelligence,  of  its  arts,  of  its 
property,  of  its  positions  of  power  and  influence.  And 
what  they  have  once  gained,  they  have  never  finally 
relinquished,  and  never  wholly  lost.  Great  monarch* 
have  abandoned  their  thrones  ; great  captains  have  lost 
their  laurels — great  empires  have  become  bankrupt,  and 
desolate,  and  poor.  But  the  saints  have  let  go  no 
single  item  of  their  possessions,  except  to  gain  greater, 
and,  after  all  her  changes  and  migrations,  the  Church  is 
wiser,  stronger,  richer  to-day  than  she  ever  was  before. 
Project  this  Church  into  the  future  now  ! Let  the  saints 
of  God  go  on  for  the  centuries  to  come,  acquiring  and 
accumulating  as  they  have  done  in  times  gone  by ; and 
is  not  here  an  argument  to  attest  what  the  prophet  fore- 
saw ? That  the  kingdom,  and  dominion,  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be 
given  at  length  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High  God  ? 

And  then,  3,  All  the  indications  of  Providence  point, 
as  with  a prophetic  finger,  to  the  same  grand  consum- 
mation, the  delivery  of  the  world  into  the  hands  of  the 
saints.  Within  half  a century,  all  the  nations  have  been 
thrown  open  to  the  saints  of  God,  and  they  may  enter 
and  ply  their  work  diligently  and  mightily  as  they  will. 
Within  the  same  period,  the  mind  of  the  world  has 
awakened  to  universal  consciousness  and  universal  in- 
quiry. And  among  all  the  nations,  the  great  questions 
which  agitate,  the  masses,  and  strike  to  the  very  foun- 
dations of  being  and  thought,  are,  What  things  are 
true  ? and,  What  things  are  right  ? Who  is  to  answer 
these  questions  ? Who  shall  supply  these  inquiring  mil. 

2 


18 


lions,  with  what  they  seek  ? Look  again.  Within  half 
a century,  all  the  powerful  tongues  on  the  globe  have 
been  impregnated  and  freighted  with  the  truths  of 
Christianity.  The  Bible  has  been  translated  into  more 
than  two  hundred  languages  and  dialects,  and  given  to 
the  nations.  So  that  there  is  not  now,  on  earth,  a single 
wide-spread  or  powerful  form  of  human  speech  that 
does  not  contain,  and  promulgate,  and  echo  among  the 
people,  the  truths  and  promises  of  the  word  of  God. 
Meantime,  all  the  old  religions  of  the  heathen  have 
become  confessedly  effete  and  decrepit.  Not  one  of 
them  can  ever  spread ; not  one  of  them  can  continue 
long  to  live,  even.  Among  their  own  disciples,  nay,  among 
their  former  devotees,  they  have  already  become  a 
burden  and  a grief.  Nor  is  this  all.  Mohammedanism, 
once  so  mighty,  and  Infidelity  that  had  power  in  other 
ages  to  diffuse  itself,  and  Roman  Catholicism  that  once 
encircled  the  globe  with  its  missions  and  its  triumphs  ; 
all  these  systems,  the  last  that  time  has  power  to  breed, 
are  to-day  shorn  of  their  power,  and  unable  to  extend 
to  other  races.  Look  over  the  world.  Where  is  there 
a spot  on  any  of  its  continents,  where  either  of  these 
rival  religions  can  ever  take  root  or  spread  ? Will  the 
Hindoo  receive  the  discarded  neology  of  the  Germans  ? 
As  soon  will  the  prairie  that  has  been  thoroughly  burnt 
once,  kindle  and  take  fire  from  a second  torch.  Is 
there  a place  on  the  globe  to  which  the  Pope  can  fly, 
and  on  which  he  can  establish  another  empire  ? No ; 
the  other  religions  of  the  world  are  getting  ready  to 
fall,  when  that  mother  of  all  the  delusions,  and  queen  of 
all  the  idolatries — the  Roman  Hierarchy — comes  down. 
The  shock  of  the  falling  Babylon  will  bring  to  the 
ground  all  these  decaying  fabrics,  leaving  the  world 
open  to  the  one  remaining  religion : the  religion  of  the 


• 19 


saints.  Are  there  not  signs  among  the  nations  ? "What 
is  to  come  when  these  old  tottering  systems  reel  in  the 
tempest,  and  go  down  never  again  to  rise  ? Are  the 
nations  to  have  no  sanctuary  ? no  God  ? no  religion  ? Is 
universal  atheism  to  arrive,  and  conclude  the  drama? 
No  ; the  saints  of  God  are  hiding  their  time:  and  that 
time  is  not  far  distant.  The  world  has,  in  its  descent, 
thus  far  followed  exactly,  and  step  by  step,  the  track  of 
prophecy.  Power  and  supremacy,  in  their  way  to  the 
saints,  lodged  for  a time  with  the  Assyrian  ; went  next 
to  Rome,  and  perched  for  a period  on  the  sceptre  of  the 
Caesars;  till  descending  once  more,  they  were  robed  in 
scarlet,  and  went  forth  to  change  times  and  laws,  and 
wear  out  the  saints,  and  make  the  earth  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs.  Thus  far  have  rule  and  authority 
come  along  the  line  of  prophecy.  One  step  remains — 
for  that  the  nations  wait.  When  Antichrist  falls,  then 
comes  the  reign  of  the  saints  ! 

We  may  remark,  then,  in  concluding  our  discourse, 
and  by  way  of  particular  application  of  our  subject, 

1.  That  in  this  great  work  of  possessing  and  governing 
the  world,  the  people  of  God  must  never  allow  them- 
selves to  confine  their  endeavors  to  any  single  achieve- 
ment, but  must  preserve  a breadth  and  amplitude  of 
purpose,  equal  to  their  universal  mission. 

The  strength  and  prosperity  of  a kingdom  depend, 
as  we  know,  upon  the  joint  action  of  all  its  offices,  and 
organs,  and  people.  When  those  who  make  and  those 
who  administer  the  laws ; and  those  who  teach  the 
schools ; and  these  who  ply  the  trades  ; and  those  who 
hold  the  possessions ; and  those  who  navigate  the  seas ; 
and  those  who  negotiate  with  distant  states ; and  those 
who  direct  the  course  of  public  thought,  discharge  their 
respective  functions  in  an  orderly,  continuous  and  bene- 


20 


ficent  way ; then  the  empire  prospers.  But  if  rulers 
and  people,  neglecting  all  other  interests,  give  attention 
exclusively  to  one,  no  matter  what  that  one  may  be, 
whether  conquests  in  other  lands,  or  commerce,  or 
legislation,  or  luxury  at  home,  so  soon  as  in  any  great 
empire,  the  magistrates  and  people  crowd  together 
into  one  exclusive  enterprise,  staking  the  national  for- 
tunes upon  that  single  throw,  that  moment  the  entire 
commonwealth  will  begin  to  decline. 

Now  it  may  be,  that  one  of  the  great  mistakes  of  tbe 
day,  is  just  this,  of  supposing  that  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High  God  have  in  hand,  not  au  entire  kingdom,  but 
only  some  one  great  interest  connected  with  the  king- 
dom. For  are  we  not  continually  asking,  over  our  great 
religious  enterprises,  as  the  disciples  did,  over  their  own 
persons  and  prospect,  Which  of  these  is  greatest  in 
the  kingdom  of  God  ? 

One  man,  contemplating  the  masses  of  our  own 
population,  to  whom  the  Gospel  is  not  yet  ministered, 
computes  their  numbers,  counts  their  vices,  and  medi- 
tates their  doom,  till  he  is  ready  to  believe  that  the 
one  great  work  of  the  American  Church  is  to  overtake 
and  evaugelize  this  accumulated  and  threatening  mass 
of  heathenism  at  home.  Another  returns  from  the  mis- 
sion-school or  the  crowded  precinct,  and  declares,  that 
the  American  Church  will  overtake  the  chief  mission 
of  the  age,  if  she  withholds  a timely  and  saving  effort  for 
this  great  army  of  unevangelized  children.  A third 
has  looked  upon  the  desolation  of  the  pagan  world,  and 
to  him — what  else  could  happen  to  a sensitive  and 
Christian  soul  ? — the  cause  of  missions  to  the  heathen,  is 
the  leading  interest  of  the  day.  A fourth,  considering 
the  lethargy  of  the  saints  and  the  decline  of  godliness 
at  home,  imagines  that  the  revival  of  God’s  work  in 


21 


these  ten  thousand  sleeping  churches,  is  a matter  which, 
in  its  issues  and  prospects,  outweighs  all  other  consider- 
ations, whether  for  ourselves  or  the  heathen.  A fifth 
finds  that  Christianity  is  every  where  oppressed  and 
enfeebled  by  contact  with  the  customs  of  a corrupt 
community.  To  his  mind  therefore,  the  Church  can 
never  make  conquest  of  other  races,  till  she  has  sancti- 
fied the  commonwealths  in  which  she  herself  resides. 
How  can  religion  overthrow  the  idolatries  of  pagan 
lauds,  he  asks,  while  it  is  impotent  to  subdue  the 
vices  and  suppress  the  lusts  which  it  encounters  in 
Christian  soil  ? In  his  view,  therefore,  the  prime  and 
all  - important  work  of  God’s  saints,  is  not  a work  of 
missions  abroad,  but  of  morals  at  home.  Make  for  the 
nations  one  model  state,  he  says:  nay,  take  a single 
city,  and  complete  what  Christianity  has  but  commenced 
as  yet ; show  the  world  one  specimen  of  universal  intel- 
ligence, order,  piety,  and  thrift,  and  such  an  example, 
lifted  up  to  the  gaze  of  the  nations,  would  be  a stand- 
ard which  they  would  speedily  follow.  Now  the  error 
in  all  these  cases,  is  not,  that  men  attach  a fictitious 
value  to  triumphs  that  are  in  themselves  of  little  con- 
sequence, but  that  they  allow  themselves  to  think  that 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  can  be  administered  and  extend- 
ed  in  this  world  by  single  endeavors,  and  solitary  suc- 
cesses. No,  my  brethren!  we  must  adopt  broader, 
grander  views  than  these,  if  we  intend  to  succeed  in 
our  work.  No  where  on  the  face  of  the  globe  is  the 
kingdom  of  the  Redeemer  completed  as  yet.  On  every 
continent ; in  every  city ; at  every  point,  something 
waits  to  be  done.  In  one  land  the  task  is  that  of  in- 
stant assault  and  vigorous  acrsrression.  The  missionaries 
of  Christ,  leading  the  van  of  the  advancing  army,  must 
set  foot  on  new  territory,  and  plant  on  far  off  continents 


22 


the  standard  of  the  cross,  the  sign  of  strength,  the 
pledge  of  victory. 

On  other  ground,  the  light  of  a lost  religion  must  be 
rekindled  in  sanctuaries  that  for  centuries  have  been 
the  sepulchers  of  an  extinguished  life,  the  dormitories 
of  a departed  faith. 

Here,  the  work  of  God  must  be  revived  in  congrega- 
tions, and  over  whole  continents,  when  piety  declines, 
and  graces  droop,  and  the  fire  of  devotion  is  almost 
extinct. 

These,  even  must  be  expunged,  and  corruptions  eras- 
ed, and  piety  restored  to  her  twin  inheritance,  of  purity 
and  truth.  These  morals  must  be  improved  and  intel- 
ligence advanced,  and  laws  administered,  and  the  public 
weal  made  prosperous  and  safe. 

Thus  in  every  field  and  in  every  place,  there  is  some- 
thing to  be  done  to  give  strength,  and  success,  and  en- 
largement to  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  And  what  waits 
to  be  done ; in  one  spot  or  another ; afar  in  heathen 
land,  or  here  in  our  own  cities  and  churches ; whatever 
work  is  yet  unfinished,  and  yet  on  hand,  that  and  all 
of  it,  is  alike  indispensable  and  alike  important.  So 
that  we  may  not  point  to  one  field  or  another,  and  say: 
There  is  our  one  only  work.  Our  work  is  every  where, 
every  where  till  the  kingdom  is  set  up.  And  this  brings 
us  to  say : 

2.  That  neglect  or  debility  in  any  one  department  of 
this  great  work  of  saintly  conquest  and  control,  enfee- 
bles and  endangers  the  whole  enterprise. 

The  cause,  the  kingdom,  the  Church,  are  one ; even 
as  Christ  their  Head  and  owner,  is  one.  Our  religion 
too,  the  animating  principle  of  all  our  endeavors,  at 
home  and  abroad,  is  one  and  the  same.  You  can  not 
disable  it  for  one  of  its  appointed  tasks,  and  have  it 


strong  and  undamaged  for  the  others.  Let  any  church 
or  commonwealth  of  churches,  become  lax  and  impo- 
tent in  the  great  work  of  missions  among  the  heathen  ; 
and  the  same  impotence  and  the  same  neglect  will  in- 
stantly appear  in  its  greater  work  of  building  the 
kingdom  at  home.  Zeal  will  decay,  prayer  cease,  ordi- 
nances lose  their  power,  hopes  grow  dim,  and  stagnancy 
and  decline  and  apprehension  be  in  all  their  sanctuaries. 
The  light  set  under  a bushel  to  prevent  its  rays  going 
forth  to  gladden  the  whole  house,  droops  in  its  unna- 
tural prison,  till,  going  out,  it  becomes  as  dark  inside 
the  bushel  as  it  is  in  hall  or  chamber  or  closet  around. 
On  the  other  hand,  let  a church,  or  a continent  of 
churches,  neglect  their  work  at  home,  to  give  the 
greater  attention  to  the  cause  of  missions  in  the  far-off 
lands;  and  the  distant  heathen  field  will  reflect  iu  all 
its  fortunes,  phases,  and  destinies,  the  exact  state  of 
things  in  the  Church  and  the  communities  at  home. 
Take  what  care  of  hand  and  foot  you  will,  if  the  heart 
be  diseased,  if  the  lungs  are  unsound,  if  there  be  weak- 
ness and  decay  at  the  fountain-head  of  life,  the  extre- 
mities partake  in  the  common  decline ; and  no  care  of 
these  far  off  members  can  prevent  the  transmission  of 
decay  and  impotence  to  them. 

And  I would  suggest,  my  brethren,  for  profound 
inquiry  to-night,  whether  it  be  not  just  here,  that  we  are 
to  look  for  the  hidden  cause  of  all  our  impotence  and 
ill  success  on  heathen  ground  and  in  the  cause  of  foreign 
missions.  Fifty  years  have  passed  since  the  Church  of 
America  went  forth  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  benighted 
pagans.  Doubtless  much  has  been  achieved  in  that 
time.  And  there  was  occasion  for  thanksgiving  and 
jubilee,  in  the  great  convocation  that  met  a few  weeks 
since,  in  a neighboring  city.  But  go  back  over  the 


24 


course  of  centuries,  and  read  what  the  first  missionaries 
of  Christ  accomplished  for  him  within  fifty  years  from 
the  date  of  their  commission.  Compared  with  their  mag- 
nificent achievements,  how  poor  a spectacle,  over  which 
to  celebrate  a jubilee,  is  this  which  we  have  done. 
What  is  the  cause  of  this  shortcoming  in  modern  mis- 
sions?  And  I submit  to  those  who  can  answer:  Whether 
our  successes  abroad  have  not  kept  pace  exactly  with  our 
efforts  and  our  advancement  at  home  ? In  other  words, 
whether  we  have  not  done  as  much  in  heathen  lands, 
as  could  be  done  by  a religion  that  accomplishes  no 
more  on  her  own  domain  and  among  her  own  people. 
When  so  many  of  our  churches  at  home,  decline  in 
grace  and  decay  in  strength,  when  the  number  of  our 
converts  scarcely  exceeds  the  number  of  annual  re- 
movals by  death ; when  our  children,  bearing  the  bap- 
tismal sign,  reject  the  religion  which  we  offer  to  the 
heathen,  and  Satan  snatches  from  Christian  households 
almost  as  many  souls  as  we.  reclaim  from  the  pagan 
hosts ; when  immorality  gains  strength  within  sight  of 
our  sanctuaries,  and  worldliness  corrupts  the  graces  of 
so  many  who  call  themselves  saints ; when  ignorance 
and  superstition  and  fraud  constitute  a heathenism  on 
our  own  soil,  and  that  heathenism  instead  of  giving  way 
before  our  religion,  is  growing  annually  more  confident, 
more  mighty,  more  portentous,  is  there  not  a cause  in 
the  character  of  our  Christianity  at  home,  for  all  its  im- 
potence and  ill  success  when  offered  to  the  far  off  races 
of  the  heathen  ? 

The  best  thin"  the  Church  of  America  could  do,  the 
best  thin"  the  Church  of  Christendom  could  do  for 

O 

the  great  work  of  missions  to  the  heathen  would  be,  to 
stir  up  their  graces,  and  call  into  use  their  strength,  and 
accomplish  at  once  and  to  the  full,  the  work  they  have 


on  hand  at  home.  God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless  us, 
cried  a saint  of  the  olden  time  who  understood  the  con- 
nection between  the  several  parts  of  the  Church’s  work. 
God  be  merciful  unto  us,  and  bless  us,  and  cause  his  face 
to  shine  upon  us,  that  thy  way  may  be  known  on  earth, 
thy  saving  health  unto  all  nations.  Arise,  shine,  said  a 
prophet  to  the  far-off  Church  of  Christian  times,  arise, 
shine,  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
is  risen  upon  thee.  That  is  the  time  for  the  Church  to 
shine  upon  the  nations  that  sit  in  the  shadow  of  death, 
when  there  is  light  in  all  her  towers,  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  overshadows  her  services,  and  irradiates  her 
sons. 

Go  then,  ye  saints  of  the  Most  High  God,  to  your 
great,  your  universal,  your  predestined  and  royal  work. 
Set  up  the  kingdom,  set  up  the  kingdom,  and  commence 
your  glorious  and  rightful  reign.  Here  on  the  home 
field,  acquit  yourselves  with  courage,  fidelity,  and  un- 
wearied zeal.  Take  up  all  these  honest,  inviting,  and 
beneficent  trades,  holding  and  working  them  for  Christ 
and  his  kingdom.  Acquire  what  you  may  by  every 
lawful  means,  of  this  precious  useful  and  accessible  pro- 
pert)7.  Ascend  upon  all  legitimate  paths,  to  posts  of 
influence  and  seats  of  authority.  Lay  hold  of  govern- 
ment; possess  the  offices ; compass  all  forms  of  know- 
ledge ; appropriate  all  liberal  and  honorable  arts ; wield 
the  power  of  letters  ; put  forth  the  energy  of  thought ; 
get  so  much  of  the  world  as  is  within  your  reach,  into 
Christian  hands.  And  then,  make  it  your  fixed  pur- 
pose, as  it  is  your  high  mission,  your  holy  calling, 
your  supreme  and  unalterable  duty,  to  hold,  use, 
and  govern  all  that  you  possess,  in  a truly  Christian 
way;  making  the  field  in  which  you  dwell  a miniature 
kingdom  of  Christ.  Scatter  instruction  ; suppress  sin  ; 


overcome  evil ; diffuse  good ; build  upon  tliis  waiting 
soil  the  empire  of  your  ascended  Lord.  Show  to  the 
nations,  and  send  to  the  nations,  that  true,  that  mighty, 
that  transforming  religion  which  can  erect  here  among 
us,  and  there  among  them,  the  needed,  the  promised, 
the  glorious  kingdom  of  Christ. 


THIRTY-THIRD  ANNUAL  REPORT 


OF  THE 


gJeMJork  anb  grooklmt  foreign 


glissionarg  ^oticlir. 


This  Anniversary  concludes  the  thirty-third  year  of  our  history  as  a Society. 
It  has  been  a year  of  peculiar  interest  in  the  missionary  work,  both  because  of  its 
own  events,  and  because  it  was  the  jubilee  year  of  the  parent  organization. 

The  Treasurer’s  report  will  show  that  the  churches  connected  with  this  Society 
have  made  an  advance  of  some  $2500  in  their  regular  contributions,  as  compared 
with  those  of  the  previous  year ; and,  in  addition  to  this,  they  have  given  $20,000, 
as  their  portion  in  the  successful  effort  to  relieve  the  American  Board  from  the 
oppression  of  their  onerous  debt.  Thus  the  amount  yielded  during  the  past  year, 
by  our  field,  to  the  general  treasury  ($43,037.48)  is  twice  as  great  as  its  ordinary 
harvest.  The  special  effort  which  this  has  cost  will  prove  a blessing  to  us  if  we 
receive  and  improve  its  twofold  lesson.  It  teaches  us  that  the  cause  of  foreign 
missions  has  a deep  and  strong  hold  upon  our  churches,  and  so  it  should  make  us 
grateful  and  hopeful  in  our  work.  And  it  teaches  us  also  that  we  can,  and  there- 
fore should,  accomplish  far  more  in  this  cause  than  we  have  been  wont  to  do.  Thus, 
we  have  given  testimony  both  for  and  against  ourselves. 

The  American  Board  have  sent  out  during  the  past  year,  twenty-six  persons  as 
an  addition  to  the  working  force  in  the  foreign  field,  and  thirteen  more  are  now 
under  appointment.  The  reports  which  have  come  to  us  during  the  year  from  the 
Northern  Armenian  mission,  have  been  full  of  interest.  The  work  among  the 
Bulgarians  in  European  Turkey,  in  connection  with  this  mission,  is  most  promising. 
That  interesting  people  are  eager  for  the  word  of  God,  and  are  longing  and  strug- 
gling to  be  free  from  the  yoke  of  the  Greek  Church.  A prominent  and  most  en- 
couraging feature,  in  the  history  of  the  year  is  the  religious  movement  among  the 
Mohammedans.  Six  Moslem  converts  have  made  a public  profession  of  their  faith 
in  Christ ; among  them  an  Imam  of  seventy  years.  In  Constantinople,  Philipopolis, 
Smyrna,  Yozgat,  Cesarea,  and  Diarbekir,  Mohammedans  are  becoming  more  and 
more  ready  to  receive  religious  instruction.  In  connection  with  this  mission  there 
are  twenty-eight  churches,  to  which  one  hundred  and  nineteen  members  have  been 
added  on  profession  of  their  faith  during  the  year  under  review. 

The  progress  of  the  work  in  the  South  Armenian  Mission  has  been  truly  remark- 
able. There  are  in  all  connected  with  this  mission  twelve  churches,  eight  of  them 
but  six  years  old,  and  yet  they  have  nearly  six  hundred  members,  one  hundred 
and  seven  having  been  received  during  the  past  year.  Few,  if  any,  churches 
among  us  have  had  so  rapid  and  signal  a growth  in  numbers  and  in  Christian  ac- 
tivity. The  lay  members  of  the  churches,  in  the  spirit  of  the  primitive  Christians, 


28 


have  engaged  zealously  and  effectively  in  true  missionary  work,  going  from  hou3e 
to  house,  and  from  village  to  village,  proclaiming  the  Gospel.  Home  Missionary 
Societies  have  been  formed,  one  at  Marasb,  and  another  at  Aintab,  appropriately 
called  in  their  language  “ Soul-loving  societies.”  At  Marasb,  where  but  a few 
years  since  native  preachers  were  imprisoned  and  a missionary  forbidden  to  preach, 
a large  stone  church  has  been  built  entirely  by  their  own  efforts,  which  on  special 
occasions  is  filled  with  a congregation  of  from  fourteen  to  sixteen  hundred 
people.  Theological  schools  at  Aintab  and  Marash  are  gradually  supplying  the 
churches  with  native  pastors.  The  ordinary  Sabbath  congregation  at  the  former 
place  is  nine  hundred,  and  the  Sunday-school  numbers  sixteen  hundred  men, 
women  and  children.  A missionary  spent  a few  months,  last  season,  at  Kessab, 
and  gathered  a church  of  sixty-one  members,  who,  with  the  assistance  of  their 
fellow-townsmen,  have  erected  a house  of  worship  that  will  accommodate  a thou- 
sand people.  Could  we  report  a corresponding  degree  of  Christian  activity,  and 
of  Christian  progress  in  the  two  great  cities,  so  many  of  whose  churches  are  con- 
nected with  this  Society  ? Believers  have  been  wont  ever  to  look  through  the 
vista  of  the  centuries  to  the  East,  to  see  in  the  Galileean  the  only  model  of  a per- 
fect manhood  ; perhaps  we  are  yet  to  look  eastward  also  to  learn  a lesson  concern- 
ing the  development  of  churches  in  zeal  and  efficiency,  and  a lesson  concerning 
the  true  method  of  multiplying  churches  in  wide  aud  ready  fields  as  “ soul-loving 
organizations perhaps  the  East  will  thus  repay  our  expenditures  on  their  behalf 
with  lessons  whose  value  can  not  be  measured  by  the  gold  which  has  gone  from 
our  treasury. 

The  past  year  has  been  a fearful  one  for  the  mission  in  Syria.  The  heart  of 
Christendom  has  thrilled  with  horror  at  the  appalling  barbarities  by  the  sword  and 
by  the  fagot,  which  have  left  thousands  of  widows  and  fatherless  children,  without 
shelter  or  clothing  or  food.  The  dreadful  story  is  too  familiar  to  justify  a recital 
here.  We  shall  keep  India  and  Syria  together  in  our  memories  for  many  years  to 
come.  We  have  special  occasion  for  gratitude  that  amid  the  general  massacres, 
our  missionaries  and  their  families  have  been  mercifully  preserved  from  all  harm. 
The  aid  which  has  been  sent  to  the  sufferers  from  here  and  from  England  has  been 
most  timely;  but  must  be  continued  and  increased,  ortho  consequencos  will  be 
unspeakably  disastrous. 

A reinforcement  has  been  sent  to  the  Nestoriau  Mission,  with  the  design  of  pro- 
secuting the  work  among  that  interesting  people  with  increasing  energy.  There 
are  fourteen  hundred  pupils  in  the  different  schools,  and  three  hundred  members  in 
the  churches.  In  the  Mahratta  Mission  sixty-nine  converts  have  been  received 
during  the  year  to  thcchurches,  whose  aggregate  membership  is  nearly  four  hun- 
dred. In  the  Madura  Mission  the  Christian  congregations  number  six  thousand 
people,  the  churches  have  ten  hundred  and  twelve  members,  seventy-five  having 
been  received  during  the  year  under  review.  More  than  one  thousand  children 
are  gathered  in  the  free  schools.  In  the  Ceylon  Mission  we  find  nine  churches, 
three  of  them  with  native  pastors,  the  membership  of  all  numbering  four  hundred 
and  fifty-seven,  forty-six  having  been  added  during  the  past  year.  The  mis- 
sions in  China  have  a special  interest  now  that  the  great  Empire  is  in  a disturbed 
and  transition  state.  A letter  from  China,  appearing  first  in  the  Foreign  Missionary 
for  November,  and  copied  by  one  of  our  daily  papers  a few  weeks  since,  was  cal- 
culated to  revive  again  the  hopes  which  we  once  had  from  the  rebellion. 


20 


It  seems  that  a Dative  Christian  is  second  in  command  at  the  capital,  aod  next 
to  Tai-piDg-wang,  well  known  as  the  leader  of  the  rebel  forces.  The  missionaiies 
have  received  letters  from  this  man,  of  a deeply  interesting  character,  lie  makes 
a full  declaration  of  all  the  cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith  as  belonging 
to  his  creed.  According  to  him,  the  programme  of  the  rebels  includes  the  adop- 
tion of  all  the  materiel  of  western  civilization,  railroads,  telegraphs,  etc.  The 
heathen  temples  are  to  be  converted  into  places  of  Christian  worship;  the  Bible 
is  to  be  the  text-book ; the  most  friendly  relations  with  foreigners  are  to  be  culti- 
vated. In  the  Sandwich  Islands  there  are  twenty-three  churches,  with  a member- 
ship of  fourteen  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirteen  ; five  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  of  these  haviDg  been  added  duiing  the  year.  The  contributions  of  these 
churches  for  different  objects  of  benevolence  amount  to  about  $20,000. 

Nothing  of  special  interest  is  reported  from  the  Missions  among  the  American 
Indians,  except  in  two  instances.  It  is  proposed  to  dissolve  the  connection  of  the 
Board  with  the  Mission  among  the  Tuscaroras  in  the  western  part  of  our  State. 
At  least  one  third  of  their  number  are  members  of  the  church,  and  it  is  deemed 
proper  that  what  aid  a community  so  long  and  fully  evangelized  may  still  need, 
should  be  received  from  other  sources.  The  Board  has  closed  its  work  amoDg  the 
Cherokees.  The  nation  may  be  said  to  be  Christianized.  The  Bible  is  read  daily 
in  the  schools,  and  Christianity  is  recognized  among  the  people  as  much  as  in  aoy 
part  of  the  United  States.  They  have  the  institutions  of  the  Gospel  so  established 
among  them  that  there  is  one  licensed  preacher  to  about  every  four  hundred  peo- 
ple; and  one  third  of  the  adult  population  are  church  members.  For  these  rea- 
sons, and  also  because  of  the  difficulty  of  the  further  prosecution  of  work  there  by 
the  American  Board,  this  mission  has  been  discontinued. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  her  missionary  work  for  the  past  year.  How  in- 
capable are  mere  statistics  to  convey  any  just  idea  of  the  condition  or  progress  of 
the  kingdom  of  God.  We  are  told  that  “amoDg  the  first  habits  that  a young 
architect  should  learn,  is  that  of  thinking  in  shadow,  not  looking  at  a design  in  its 
miserable  liny  skeleton,  but  conceiving  it  as  it  will  be  when  the  dawn  lights  it 
and  the  dusk  leaves  it ; when  its  stODes  will  be  hot,  aDd  its  crannies  cool ; when 
the  lizards  will  bask  on  the  one,  and  the  birds  build  in  the  other.”  We  need  to 
learn  the  application  of  a rule  analogous  to  this  in  all  our  thinking  concerning  the 
progress  of  that  grand  Spiritual  Temple  which  God  is  building  out  of  the  tuins  of 
our  fallen  manhood.  Our  statistics  draw  for  us  but  “a  miserable  liny  skeleton.” 
We  need  to  think  of  that  skeleton,  by  the  aids  of  Faith’s  conceptions,  as  filled  out 
with  that  strength  and  beauty  which  no  statistics  can  describe;  as  gilded  and 
glorified  by  the  light  of  prophecy,  its  polished  stones  all  radiant  with  the  beams 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 

Fifty  years  ago,  our  American  church  began  its  foreign  missionary  work.  Five 
earnest  souls  gathered  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  American  Board  in  1810.  Fifty 
years  later  more  than  five  thousand  believers  sat  down  simultaneously  at  the  table 
of  the  Lord,  at  the  late  jubilee  anniversary  of  the  same  Board.  What  will  it  be 
at  the  end  of  another  half-century  ? During  those  fifty  years  more  than  fifty  thou- 
sand hopeful  converts  have  been  gathered  out  of  heathendom,  as  the  first  fruits  of 
the  missionary  work.  And  yet  how  much  remains  to  be  done  both  at  home  and 
abroad.  Here  in  our  field,  notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  accomplished,  how 
great  are  the  yet  undeveloped  resources  of  our  churches  I How  many  professed 
Christians  among  us  have  as  yet  scarce  felt,  or  acknowledged  the  pressure  of  their 


30 


obligations  to  the  missionary  cause.  "We  are  told  that  one  of  the  great  Masters  of 
color  painted  that  solemn  and  tender  scene,  the  Supper  at  Emmaus,  making  it 
the  back-ground  for  two  children  playing  with  a dog  ! What  an  incongruity,  we 
exclaim ; and  yet  have  we  not  more  than  its  counterpart  in  the  lives  of  too  many 
professed  Christians  ? Should  not  Christ,  the  Saviour  for  all  the  nations,  be  in  the 
fore-ground  of  every  believing  life? 

At  the  late  jubilee  meeting  in  Boston  there  was  one  memorable  occasion,  when 
the  holy  fervor  and  Christian  enthusiasm  of  the  great  convocation  reached  its 
climax.  The  plans  for  the  future  had  been  discussed,  and  appeals  had  been  made, 
until  every  heart  seemed  to  be  overcharged  with  the  electiicity  of  Christian  sym- 
pathy and  ardor.  The  pent-up  fenlings  of  the  meeting  must  have  expres- 
sion. It  was  decided  that  all  present  should  vote  on  the  question  of  endeavoring 
to  raise  $409,000  during  the  next  year.  When  this  question  was  put  the  vast  au- 
dience rose  to  their  feet  as  by  one  common  impulse  ; and  then  the  first  hush  of  that 
intense  moment  was  broken  by  the  thrilling  chorus  of  more  than  three  thousand 
voices  joining  as  one  in  the  missionary  song : 

“ Shall  we,  whose  souls  are  lighted 
With  wisdom  from  on  high, 

Shall  we  to  men  benighted 
The  lamp  of  life  deny.” 

The  spell  was  broken  ; the  deep  feeling  had  found  fitting  expression.  It  was  a 
scene  of  surpassing  impressiveness ; old  men  and  young,  men  w ho  had  grown  stal- 
wart in  the  service  bowed  their  heads  and  wept,  while  all  hearts  were  melted  into 
one.  Can  not  we  catch  something  of  the  glow  of  that  high  and  holy  enthusiasm 
for  our  work?  In  this  first  jear  of  another  hall-century  of  missionary  history, 
shall  not  that  song  which  thrilled  so  many  hearts  at  the  jubilee  as  never  before, 
find  a fitting  response  in  our  increased  devotion  to  the  work  of  proclaiming  the 
joyful  sound  of  salvation  to  all  of  our  benighted  race? 

THOMAS  S.  HASTINGS, 

Corresponding  Secretart. 


£[ie  foreign  glissionarir  Sociclij  of  Jhto-Joili  anir  gnrflhlp, 

in  account  current  with  their  Treasurer , A.  MERWIN. 

From  August  1,  1859,  to  July  31,  1860. 

Cn. 

$162  42 
. 287  50 

518  79 
273  54 
264  00 
196  00 
2640  77 

$1010  00 

. 773  83 

64  66 
. 5310  99 
$200  00 

. 3624  60 
293  06 
. 209  92 

99  83 
. 222  31 

270  46 

$15,212  68 

Sundry  donations  in  New- York  and  Brooklyn,  . 5426  36  5,426  36 

Of  which  for  the  debt,  . . . . 1190  00 


BROOKLYN. 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims, 

Of  which  for  the  debt, 

Clinton  avenue  Congregational  Church, 

Of  which  for  the  debt, 

Central  Congregational  Church, 

City-Park  Mission  “ 

First  Presbyterian,  “ 

Of  which  for  the  debt, 

Park  Presbyterian  Church, 

Plymouth  Congregational  Church, 

South  “ “ 

“ Presbyterian  “ 

Of  which  for  the  debt, 

Third  Presbyterian  Church, 

Westminster  “ “ 

Warren-street  Mission  “ 

New-England  Cong.  “ 

7,374  05 


$1074 

99 

$550  00 

2525 

71 

740 

00 

. 8 

36 

103 

48 

1904 

61 

1220 

00 

416 

42 

300 

92 

121 

81 

549 

21 

. 250 

00 

255 

00 

. 47 

54 

16 

00 

50 

00 

Alien-street  Presbyterian  Church,  . 
Brick-street  “ “ 

Broadway  Tabernacle. 

Central  Presbyterian  Church, 

Church  of  the  Puritans,  . 

Eleventh  Presbyterian  Church, 
Fourteenth-street  “ “ . . 

Of  which  for  the  debt,  . 

Fourth  avenuo  Presbyterian  Church, 
Harlem  “ “ 

Madison  Square  “ “ 

Of  which  for  the  debt, 
Mercer-street  Presbyterian  Church, 
North  “ “ 

Seventh  “ “ 

Spring- street  “ “ 

Thirteenth  “ “ 

West  “ 


$28,013  09 


32 


Including  sums  sent  by  contributors  directly  to  the  Trea- 
surer in  Boston,  and  acknowledged  by  him,  the  contributions 
from  the  field  of  this  Society,  exclusive  of  those  for  the  debt, 
amount  for  the  year  to  $23,037.29.  The  contributions  for  the 
debt,  including  the  payments  made  since  the  close  of  the 
fiscal  year,  are  $20,000.22.  Making  the  total  of  contributions 
$43,037.51. 


The  account  for  the  debt  is  as  follows : 


A merchant  of  this  city  and  his  partners  paid,  . 

$10,000 

00 

Fourteenth-street  Presbyterian  Church, 

. 1,060 

00 

Madison  Square  “ “ 

850 

00 

Mercer- street  “ “ 

500 

00 

West  “ “ 

. 200 

00 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  Brooklyn, 

Clinton  avenue  Church,  “ ... 

. 1,550 

00 

. 740 

00 

First  Presbyterian  “ “ 

. 1,295 

00 

Plymouth  Cong.  “ “ 

1,150 

00 

South  Presbyterian  “ “ 

First  “ “ Williamsburgh,  . 

250 

00 

. 110 

22 

From  sundry  individuals 

. 2,295 

00 

$20,000 

22 

Dr. 

Paid  for  carriage  hire,  .... 

$6 

90 

“ 3000  copies  Dr.  Clark’s  Sermon, 

125 

00 

— 

$131 

90 

Entered  at  sundry  times  in  account  with  James 

M. 

Gordon,  Treasurer  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 

. 27,881 

19 

27,881 

19 

$28,013 

09 

New- York,  Juhj  31,  1860. 

Examined  and  found  correct, 

Ai.mon 

Merwin, 

L.  E.  Jackson,  Treasurer. 

O.  E.  Wood.  . 


RECEIPTS  OF  THE  SOCIETY, 


Thk  following  statement  exhibits  the  receipts  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
of  New-York  and  Brooklyn,  from  its  organization  in  1827,  to  August,  I860. 


For  the  year  euding  Aug.  31, 


July  31, 


1827, 

1828, 

1829, 

1830, 

1831, 

1832, 

1833, 

1834, 

1835, 

1836, 

1837, 

1838, 

1839, 

1840, 

1841, 

1842, 

1843, 


1844, 

1845, 

1846, 

1847, 

1848, 

1849, 

1850, 

1851, 

1852, 

1853, 

1854, 

1855, 

1856, 

1857, 

1858, 

1859, 

1860, 


$6,970  99 
3,407  20 
6,682  49 
9,564  29 
7,597  23 
9,984  91 
14,044  64 
7,635  57 
13,401  83 
12,164  95 
17  107  34 
11,234  86 
13,796  61 
11,132  91 
12,447  64 
15,301  06 
13,390  01 
10,923  95 
11,885  04 
7,974  42 
13,807  09 
11,598  39 
21,252  76 
13,241  69 
17,847  31 
23,230  49 
22,173  26 
20,342  43 
18,106  29 
21,648  94 
28,914  41 
24,208  24 
20,308  62 
28,013  09 


$501,340  95 


LIST  OF  OFFICERS 


FOR  T1IB  TEAR  1860. 


PRESIDENT. 

DAVID  HOADLEY. 


VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

A.  R.  WETMORE,  I WILLIAM  E.  DODGE, 

S.  B.  CHITTENDEN,  | OLIVER  E.  WOOD. 


CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY. 


Rev.  T.  RALSTON  SMITH. 


RECORDING  SECRETARY. 

ALMON  MERWIN. 

TREASURER. 

ALMON  MERWIN. 


DIRECTORS. 


Alien-street  Presbyterian  Church, 
Broadway  Tabernacle , 

Central  Presbyterian  “ 

Church  of  the  Puritans  11 

Eleventh  Presbyterian  11 

Fourteenth-street  “ “ 

Fourth  Avenue  “ “ 

Harlem  “ 11 

Mercer-street  “ “ 

Madison-square  “ “ 

North  , “ “ 

Seventh  “ “ 


George  Betts,  Joseph  W.  Lester. 

....  W.  W.  Fessenden,  Samuel  Holmes. 

W.  S.  Dorr,  James  W.  Dunning. 

. . . .C.  Abernethy,  Elitua  Harris,  M.D. 
. . . . Alex.  McVey,  J.  II.  Bulkn. 

. . . .S.  II.  Wales,  J.  F.  Joy. 

. . . . Alfred  C.  Post.M.D.,  W.  A.  Wheeler. 
. . . .E.  Ketchum,  James  Hiker,  Jr. 

W.  W.  Chester,  Richard  Bigelow, 

Tiios.  Bond. 

Geo.  D.  Phelps,  Z.  S.  Ely,  Cuarles 

Trask. 

. . . .Charles  H.  Rusher,  Georg*  D. 
Craoin. 

. . . .Charles  Merrill,  H.  B.  Littbi.l, 
Jas  W.  Bishop. 


35 


First-street  Presbyterian  Church, 
Spring-street  “ '• 

Thirteenth-street  “ “ 

WesI  “ “ 

Bedford  Cong.  Church,  Brooklyn, 
Clinton  Av.  “ “ “ 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  u 

Central  Cong.  Church,  “ 

Elm  Place  “ “ “ 

First  Presbyterian  “ “ 

Plynwuth  Cong.  “ “ 

Park  Presbyterian  “ “ 

South  “ 11  “ 

South  Cong.  “ “ 

Third  Presb.  “ “ 

Westminster Presb.  “ 

Warren-st.  Mission  “ 11 

Fit  st  Presb.  Church,  Williamsburgh, 


. . .Francis  Duncan,  John  Kerr. 

. . .John  Endicott,  John  R.  Wilcox. 

. . .John  C.  Hines,  Rufus  8.  King. 

. . .Lewis  E.  Jaokson,  A.  L.  Earlf. 

. . .D.  0.  Calkins,  Edward  T.  Uooij ai.l. 

— A.  S.  Barnes,  Samuel  E.  Warner, 
Alfred  Smithers. 

. . .Sidney  Sanderson,  S.  F.  Phelps, 
Rich.  P.  Buck,  Ely  Mygatt,  Jp. 

. . .William  Cutter,  S.  B.  Cole. 

...F.  W.  Burke,  Chas.  B.  Williams. 

...Fisiier  Howe,  David  Wesson,  Hen- 
ry Ide. 

. . .J.  T.  Howard,  Arthur  Niciiols, 
J.  B.  Hutchinson. 

. . .E.  A.  Lambert,  W.v.  W.  Wickes. 

...R.  F.  IIowes,  A.  L.  Tan  Buren, 
J.  Milton  Smith. 

. . .S.  N.  Davis,  Henry  Law. 

•W.  W.  Hurlbut,  J.  C.  Halsey,  M.D. 

. . . Andrew  Mason,  George  Walsh. 

. . .James  Hawkins. 

...J.  W.  Buckley,  Geo.  W.  Edwards. 


